I think most people listen to bands A, B and C for reasons D, E, and F, so I'll narrow the scope a little.
Why I listen to my favorite band: GORILLAZ
1. Damon Albarn is awesome. Like, his voice, and his lyrics, and his brain.
2. They're extremely experimental/artistic. Dramatically different genres and sounds are laced together intelligently throughout each album, which has a clearly defined concept. Progression of mood and song order are important to me on an album, and Gorillaz does it better than anyone I've heard.
2a. They're animated. This means they don't have to follow the same rules as other bands. Russel had a ghost inside of him, Murdoc exchanged bullets with Bruce Willis, and Noodle grew up from a ten-year-old girl shipped in a box to a hardened killing machine capable of bringing down jet fighters.
3. So many guest artists, and used to brilliant effect. In fact, I believe Plastic Beach had more guest artists than songs. This includes such luminaries as the late Bobby Womack (Stylo, Cloud of Unknowing), Lou Reed (Some Kind of Nature), and Dennis Hopper (Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head), plus Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, Mick Jones & Paul Simonon, as well as - quite famously - De La Soul.
4. Most importantly, they're fun to listen to. Underlying what I consider to be brilliant music and vision is simply a bubbly kind of funk, a weariness tinged with optimism that just sort of says "things are going to hell, so, fuck it, let's just groove".
Why I listen to my favorite band: GORILLAZ
1. Damon Albarn is awesome. Like, his voice, and his lyrics, and his brain.
2. They're extremely experimental/artistic. Dramatically different genres and sounds are laced together intelligently throughout each album, which has a clearly defined concept. Progression of mood and song order are important to me on an album, and Gorillaz does it better than anyone I've heard.
2a. They're animated. This means they don't have to follow the same rules as other bands. Russel had a ghost inside of him, Murdoc exchanged bullets with Bruce Willis, and Noodle grew up from a ten-year-old girl shipped in a box to a hardened killing machine capable of bringing down jet fighters.
3. So many guest artists, and used to brilliant effect. In fact, I believe Plastic Beach had more guest artists than songs. This includes such luminaries as the late Bobby Womack (Stylo, Cloud of Unknowing), Lou Reed (Some Kind of Nature), and Dennis Hopper (Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head), plus Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, Mick Jones & Paul Simonon, as well as - quite famously - De La Soul.
4. Most importantly, they're fun to listen to. Underlying what I consider to be brilliant music and vision is simply a bubbly kind of funk, a weariness tinged with optimism that just sort of says "things are going to hell, so, fuck it, let's just groove".
How will we know, when the morning comes, we are still human? - 2D
Don't worry, my friend. If this be the end, then so shall it be.
Don't worry, my friend. If this be the end, then so shall it be.
